Free Standing Wooden Dummy Question

[wingchun100]

I built a wooden dummy with a PVC body, which is bolted to a base. It is pretty good and functional. Only problem I have: figuring out how to weight the thing down!

Right now, the only thing I am doing is placing dumbbells on the base. It is currently weighted down with 270 lbs. I myself weigh 215, so I thought exceeding my weight would help, but nope! The base still lifts off the ground when I hit it.

Any ideas on a better way to weight this thing down?

 

[wckf92]

Is it indoors or outside?

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Create a base with weight. On my freestanding wooden dummy the base is heavy wood which minimizes movement.

Here is a photo:

 

[wingchun100]

Is it indoors or outside?

Indoor.

 

[yak sao]

Can you make the base bigger to where you actually stand on the base while you're training on the dummy.
Also, since the body is PVC, can you fill it with anything to add weight?

 

[wingchun100]

Can you make the base bigger to where you actually stand on the base while you're training on the dummy.
Also, since the body is PVC, can you fill it with anything to add weight?

I was going to put bags of sand in it at first, but then I was worried about them breaking open while in there and sand going everywhere. However, I hit upon the idea of dropping bags of rocks (like the kind some people put in their gardens) inside. They sell them in, I believe, 50 pound bags. The thing is, I have to wait because no one is carrying them right now.

I am hoping that weight down the body will help, since that is right in the center of the mass.

 

[JR 137]

I was going to put bags of sand in it at first, but then I was worried about them breaking open while in there and sand going everywhere. However, I hit upon the idea of dropping bags of rocks (like the kind some people put in their gardens) inside. They sell them in, I believe, 50 pound bags. The thing is, I have to wait because no one is carrying them right now.

I am hoping that weight down the body will help, since that is right in the center of the mass.

Good to see you around.

Home Depot should have bags of gravel available. I’ve bought them in the winter. They’re in the outside section that few people go to during the winter, but they’re out there unless they’re currently sold out of something specific. I bought about 6 bags of pea gravel this time last year.

I wouldn’t trust those bags to be sealed for very long though. And unless your PVC pipe is significantly bigger than the largest diameter pipe I’ve ever seen, the bags I’m thinking of aren’t going to fit in there.

I haven’t worked with PVC much, so maybe I’m off, but could you get end caps for them? I’ve seen what look like threaded end caps on plumbing. You’d probably have to thread the ends of the existing pipe, but it would probably be the best bet if you’re going that route.

Just as a heads up, gravel will make some noise. I filled the base to my Century BOB XL with 6 bags of pea gravel. It makes noise when hitting it. Doesn’t bother me as it’s not that loud. And I wear earphones when working out. In other places and/or applications it may not be acceptable, as in inside the house where someone else is watching tv. I don’t think it’ll be too loud, but room acoustics, sound sensitivity and all.

Edit: PM being sent shortly.

 

[wingchun100]

Good to see you around.

Home Depot should have bags of gravel available. I’ve bought them in the winter. They’re in the outside section that few people go to during the winter, but they’re out there unless they’re currently sold out of something specific. I bought about 6 bags of pea gravel this time last year.

I wouldn’t trust those bags to be sealed for very long though. And unless your PVC pipe is significantly bigger than the largest diameter pipe I’ve ever seen, the bags I’m thinking of aren’t going to fit in there.

I haven’t worked with PVC much, so maybe I’m off, but could you get end caps for them? I’ve seen what look like threaded end caps on plumbing. You’d probably have to thread the ends of the existing pipe, but it would probably be the best bet if you’re going that route.

Just as a heads up, gravel will make some noise. I filled the base to my Century BOB XL with 6 bags of pea gravel. It makes noise when hitting it. Doesn’t bother me as it’s not that loud. And I wear earphones when working out. In other places and/or applications it may not be acceptable, as in inside the house where someone else is watching tv. I don’t think it’ll be too loud, but room acoustics, sound sensitivity and all.

Edit: PM being sent shortly.

I am usually alone, so that won't be a problem. LOL

 

[paitingman]

I have something similar myself! Sweet wooden dummy!!
I just have cinder blocks or a bucket of sand usually and it works fine. Those two things I have pretty much on hand. But I like cinder blocks because they're easy to move when I need them for other things and easy to just stack on the base of the dummy

 

[punisher73]

I couple of the options that I have seen are:

1) Attaching the base to a wood panel on the floor that you are standing on, so you are helping to hold it down.
2) Build a wooden base and cement it in, or use a metal tub and use the cement to hold it in.

 

[PiedmontChun]

Sorry I don't have pics handy to share of it but..... when I made a dummy, I build the wood trunk to slide down snugly into place on a 4x 4 post. The post was solidly built into the base, and the base was built like a wood box about 32 inches wide, 12 inches deep, and 8 inches tall, and open only the back that faces the wall. I just mixed up some quick setting concrete mix (quickrete like you would use to anchor a mailbox) and poured it into the cavity.

The trunk could be lifted off and carried, but the base was an absolute pain to move around; I think I had to use a hand truck to wheel it into my basement when I moved a few years ago. The trick with a weighted base working well is not just the weight, but the area that the weight is spread out over. The greater the surface area, the less overall weight it needs to be. If I had to do it all over again, I might have just made a shallower base and anchored with a couple bags of pea gravel. Aesthetics be damned.

 

[wingchun100]

Just to clarify: my free-standing dummy is in my apartment, so I cannot build a concrete base into the ground with it.

 

[geezer]

A long time ago when I was in grad-school I set a dummy up in my apartment. Much like Punisher suggested, I attached the stand to a large sheet of plywood that I stood on when doing dummy training. It kinda got in the way in my small room, but worked OK.